Politics

Interfaith harmony unites people in West Bengal

West Bengal, Jan 20 (ANI): Purulia city, located in eastern India's state of West Bengal, is known for communal harmony that exists between people of various faiths. The people of the district, without any religious bias, work together to earn livelihood for themselves and to improve their standard of living by providing helping hand to each other. A similar example is witnessed in a group of electricians of the village, comprising both Hindus and Muslims, who work together to electrify their city. Although sharing different beliefs, workers here do not discriminate each other on religious lines. Apart from their work, the group also participates in each others religious festivals and special occasions. The brotherhood and amity seen among the group reflects the age-old ethos of the country for which it is known in the world.

Jan 20, 2015

Egypt's Sisi urges Muslim fight on terrorism

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday said the fight against "terrorism" needs a new Muslim religious discourse in addition to security and military measures. Duration: 00:51

Jan 19, 2015

Palestinian islamists burn French flag in a protest in Gaza City

Palestinian radical islamists took part on Monday in a protest against a satirical cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed by French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo outside the French Cultural Centre in Gaza City. Duration: 01:09

Jan 19, 2015

Guinea reopens schools as Ebola fears settle

Guinea becomes the first of the worst-hit countries to reopen schools in the wake of the Ebola crisis, but many students and teachers stay away. Duration: 01:21

Jan 19, 2015

R K Laxman continues to be critical, suffers urinal infection

Pune, Jan 19 (ANI): Legendary cartoonist R K Laxman continued to be in a critical state after his health deteriorated on Saturday evening. He is currently on a life support system. Laxman, who is suffering from urinal infection, is admitted under the intensive care unit of 'Deenanath Mangeshkar' hospital in Pune. His daughter Usha Laxman said she hoped her father would recuperate soon. The cartoonist has suffered from several paralytic attacks in the past. The legend, 94, became known for his 'Common Man' cartoons which used to appear in the nation's best selling newspaper "The Times of India".

Jan 19, 2015

Cambodian prince cosies up to Hun Sen in political comeback

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who was ousted as Cambodia's prime minister by a bloody coup in 1997, launches a political comeback in an alliance with the man who toppled him. Duration: 00:36

Jan 19, 2015

Chechnya holds huge rally over Charlie Hebdo cartoons

Tens of thousands of people rallied Monday at a state-sponsored protest in Russia's Muslim North Caucasus region of Chechnya against the publication of Prophet Mohammed cartoons in the wake of Islamist attacks in France. Duration: 00:38

Jan 19, 2015

Argentine prosecutor who accused Kirchner found dead

An Argentine prosecutor who accused President Cristina Kirchner of obstructing a probe into the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish center reportedly died just hours before he was due at a Congressional hearing Monday. Duration: 00:35

Jan 19, 2015

Japanese PM visits the Yad Vashems hall of remembrance

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited on Monday the Yad Vashem’s hall of remembrance in Jerusalem duringf a six-day tour of the Middle East, aimed also at promoting regional stability and peace. Duration: 00:32

Jan 19, 2015

Japanese FM visits memorial for Charlie Hebdo attacks

The Japanese Foreign Minister arrives in Paris and visits the memorial site for the killed Charlie Hebdo journalists. Duration: 01:04

Jan 19, 2015

Transgenders upset with Tamil flick, hold protest

Chennai, Jan 19 (ANI): Transgenders took to streets in Chennai city on Monday (January 19) protesting against a Tamil flick which portrayed them in poor light. The sci-fi fantasy romantic thriller 'I' is a work of popular Indian, predominantly Tamil, director and producer, Shankar Shanmugham. The transgenders held a demonstration outside the offices of Film Censor Board, seeking deletion of offending scenes in the film. The protesters also sought an apology from Shankar. Shankar has sought police cover outside his residence as protestors were reportedly planning to stage a demonstration outside his house as well.

Jan 19, 2015

Praising BJP's 'discipline', Krishna Tirath formally switches parties

New Delhi, Jan 19 (ANI): Praising the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'discipline', former union minister and Congress leader Krishna Tirath on Monday formally joined the BJP, vowing to continue her work towards the upliftment of the oppressed. Tirath had earlier in the day fuelled rumours of switching allegiances after meeting party chief Amit Shah in the national capital. According to media reports, a disgruntled Tirath had earlier sought a Congress Party ticket for one of her children to contest in the Delhi state assembly elections, but the central leadership of the party rejected the request. Till now, she was representing the North West Delhi constituency of Delhi as a member of the Indian National Congress (INC). She began her political career as a M.L.A in Delhi and was a member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly from 1984-2004. In 1998, she became the Minister for Social Welfare, SC and ST and Labour and Employment in the Sheila Dikshit-led Delhi government.

Jan 19, 2015

I'm not above party, will respect party's decision: Arvinder Singh Lovely

New Delhi, Jan 19 (ANI): Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely on Monday while commenting on the withdrawal of his candidature from the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi said that the he is not above the party and that he will respect the party's decision. Lovely said that the party workers are getting emotional and hence staging protest. He further said that the decision will be taken keeping in mind the party's needs.

Jan 19, 2015

Supporter of A S Lovely attempts self-immolation

New Delhi, Jan 19 (ANI): Disappointed over Delhi Congress Chief Arvinder Singh Lovely not fighting the assembly elections in the national capital, one of his supporters, a male, attempted to self-immolate himself in the Gandhi Nagar area. The supporter doused himself with kerosene and threatened to self-immolate himself but was stopped from going ahead with his plan. Lovely's candidature was withdrawn from the upcoming assembly elections yesterday. He said he was honoured by the new role given to him by the party high command.

Jan 19, 2015

Government to boost public spending on infrastructure

Chennai, Jan 19 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday (January 19) said that the government will increase public spending on infrastructure in months to come. The government estimates the country needs to spend $800 billion on infrastructure to grow seven percent per annum, sharply higher than around 5.5 percent projected by the Reserve Bank of India for the current fiscal year that ends in March. Addressing Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) summit in India's southern Chennai city, Jaitley said that the public spending on infrastructure would have to increase because the old Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) model was under stress and needed to be revived. Jaitley had promised imminent changes pushing ahead key reforms such as the introduction of a nationwide sales tax.

Jan 19, 2015